Method of treating grain.



P. PROVOST.

METHOD FOR TREATING GRAIN.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29, I916.

1,269,741 Patented June 18, 1918.

MIOMXOZ OFFICE.

PETER PROVOST, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

METHOD non TREATING cream.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed December 29, 1918. Serial No. 189,515.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER Pnovos'r, a citizen of the United States, and residentof Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for Treating Grain; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and highly eflicient method for treating grain for milling purposes, and it relates to subjecting the grain to successive series of treatments whereby all of the wheat when so treated may be converted to what is known to the trade as patent flour or first grade.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in what is herein shown, described and claimed.

The drawing illustrates a diagram, partly in section, of a complete equipment or apparatus for carrying out my improved method of treating grain, but it is understood that the structural features form no part of my invention, which invention is the essential arrangement of the cleaning, drying, moistening and conditioning apparatus.

Referring by characters to the drawings 1 represents a cleaner which is adapted to discharge grain into a drying heater 2, whereby assaid grain flows therethrough, it is subjected to. the desired temperature for extracting what is known as yellow moisture from it. This yellow moisture is thus drawn in the bran at the commencement of the milling operation, the bran being thereby toughened. Furthermore by this initial heating the crease-dirt is started from the seam of the wheat kernel.

The grainis next discharged into a receiving. bin 3 and from this bin it is ele vated', while warm, and delivered to a wetting conveyer 5 by means of an endless carrier 4. In traveling from the bin 3 to the conveyer 5 the grain is lowered slightly. in temperature as the same are spaced apart and said grain is moved in small quantities. The heated grain is here subjected to a fresh supply of moisturefrom a water supply nozzle 6, but owing to thefact that the wheat is warm, when it is subjected to this second supply of water, it is conditioned to receive and absorb the proper amount. The wetting conveyer 5- is arranged to agitate the grain while it is being subjected to 9. moistem'ng treatment, and thus this agitation lnsures a uniform supply.

After the grain is so moistened it is delivered to a second heater 7 through which it travels and is thereby re-heated and brought back to the proper temperature pre paratory to its being further treated. It is discharged into a tempering bin 8, as it is delivered from the second heater. The grain is held in the tempering bin 8 a suitable length of time in a stationary mass. It has been found that grain allowed to remain in the bin for twelve hours or more willbe of a better grade than that which is held therein a shorter time. The object of.

holdin the grain in a stationary mass in a tempering bin is to cause it to sweat to expel or thoroughly loosen the crease dirt. Inasmuch as the grain is gradually cooled, this sweating operation will not become so great as to injure the grain.

After the grain has been subjected to treatment in the tempering bin 8, it is again put into motion and discharged into a scourmg apparatus 9 of any desired type, from which scouring apparatus, it is discharged into a third heater 10, whereby it is thoroughly dried out and perfectly cleaned and conditioned to be delivered to the first breaking rolls. By this system or method of treating wheat, in continuous step by step series of operation, the milling process is materially shortened, and the bran is toughened' to a desired degree. By this result, wheat is cleaner and in better condition .for grinding. Hence the effect of the breaking rollers upon wheat, so treated in the way mentioned, is to produce a more flaky and better colored bran, and what is known as patent flour. Thus it is possible to utilize all of the wheat to produce afirst grade flour, whereby the profits to the miller are materially increased over themethod now .in common use, which method results in two 'or three grades of flour.

I claim:

The herein described method of preparing grain for milling consisting in subjecting the grain to a cleaning operatlon, thereafter heating it while in motion, next causing said grain to be cooled slightly while traveling, then addmg to the gram a supply of pure moisture, then subjecting t e moistened grain as it travels to a second heating medium, thereafter collecting the cleaned, heated and moistened grain and retaining the same in a stationary bulk for a considerable period of time until the temperature thereof is lowered, said grain While in the stationary bulk being caused to sweat in cooling to force the crease dirt from its seams, then scouring the grain, next subjecting it to a third heating medium to toughen said grain preparatory to milling, and lastly Sub ecting it to a suitable milling 1 operation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of-Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

PETER PROVOST. 

